[Blood lead levels in young children in The Netherlands]

Determination of lead content in blood (Pb-B) of young children in the Netherlands, to assess the influence on Pb-B of the ambient environment and to verify a surmised decrease of Pb-B.

Cross-sectional study.

Centres and suburbs of Rotterdam and Amsterdam villages in the Geul Valley (Limburg), neighbourhoods in urban areas in Limburg and Flevoland.

Randomly selected children aged 1-6 years, residing for at least 2 months in the aforementioned areas, provided a venous blood sample, in which Pb-B was determined.

Pb-B of 559 children investigated, varied from 20 micrograms/l through 224 micrograms/l and showed no clear association with age. Mean Pb-B of girls (48.5 micrograms/l) was slightly lower than that of boys (52.5 micrograms/l). Mean Pb-B was highest in children from the centre of Rotterdam, followed by that in children from the centre of Amsterdam, the suburbs of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the Geul Valley and Lelystad, while children from Flevoland and the neighbourhoods in urban areas in Limburg had the lowest Pb-B. In children from the city centres Pb-B had decreased since 1979 by 62% (Amsterdam) and since 1981 by 52% (Rotterdam). In children from the suburbs of these cities these decreases amounted to 57% and 39% respectively.

Pb-B of young children in the Netherlands has decreased to a mean of 64 micrograms/l in children from the city centres and to a mean of 45 micrograms/l in children living outside the city centres. Among the children from the inner cities, 2.7% had a Pb-B higher than 150 micrograms/l and 6.7% a Pb-B higher than 100 micrograms/l.